Starting A New Student Organization

1. Meet with an SOC member to discuss the group’s formation 
   • Email [email protected] to schedule your initial meeting
2.  Draft a Charter using the Sample Charter Template
   • The charter is a statement of your group’s policies and rules. It details the way  you will run your organization. The charter of an organization provides for efficiency, fair and equal consideration, clarification, and continuity in the regular operations of an organization. 
3. Complete the Student Org Intake Form to get the basics down before you present to SOC
4. (Optional) Review the Sample Charter with a member of the the SOC before submission
5. SOC Reviews your Intake Form for Edit. This process will include: 
   • SOC hosts conversation with member(s) of the new group
     • Vision of Org
     • Charter Questions and Clarifications
   • SOC suggests edits and assigns revision deadline
6. The SOC will vote on charter approval
   • If passed: It is sent to MCSG Legislative Board (LB) regarding approval of the charter. This process will include:
     • Interview of the organization members with the LB
     • LB will approve or reject the charter
   • If failed: Suggestions and Edits are issued with new revision deadline
7. Submit the Student Organization Registration Form in Presence, you’re now registered Student Org/Interest Group

Should any questions or concerns arise at any point during the chartering process please contact the SOC chair at [email protected]. 

• Are you new and different?
  • • New student organizations must demonstrate a unique purpose or reason for forming.
• Do enough people want to take part?
  • • Student organizations must have a significant amount of interested and committed people. Significant is understood to be at least 10 students who consistently attend organizational meetings.
• Will you be open to anyone who wishes to join?
  • • Student organizations must be non-exclusive. Any student who wishes to join the organization should be allowed to do so. Membership dues of any kind are not permitted. 
• Student organizations will appoint leadership through fair elections.
  • • New leadership must identify itself to the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement and MCSG for the purpose of maintaining an accurate list of active organizations and organizational contact persons.
    • Groups without elected leaders must identify at least one contact person to the Office of Student Leadership and Engagement and MCSG. Contacts will be subject to the same notification procedures as leaders in other student organizations.
• Student organizations will be audited at the end of their three-year charter cycle by the Student Organizations Committee (SOC) of MCSG.
  • • The aim of this process is to ensure organizations are healthy, fulfilling their purpose on campus, and getting the support they need. This review process may have implications for the budgeting process.

Org Space Allocation 

• Active student organizations who need on-campus storage or office space should submit a request by completing the Student Organization Space—Responsible Use Agreement and Key Request Form in Presence. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with allocation preference given to those organizations that demonstrate need. 

Organization Email 

• Each organization chartered by MCSG will receive an organizational email address. 
• Check this address regularly, as many students, departments, staff and faculty will email this address to find out more information about your organization. 
  • All official communications from SOC and OSLE will go to this inbox
  • Set up Delegate Access to the Org Email to make inbox management easier
  • Forward the Email to your Leadership/Members in charge of communications
• If you do not know the password for your email login, email Fleury Clark Girimana ([email protected])  who will funnel requests to ITS. 

Reserving Space on Campus and Tabling 

• Chartered organizations are able to reserve a space on campus to host meetings and events. Check out the Student Org Event Planning page to learn more. 

Additional benefits Student Organizations have in being a MCSG chartered group:

• Can hold events/programs for members of the group and general campus community
• Can request participation in the fall Involvement Fair and Spring Org Fair
• Can publicize events through college publications and materials
• Can budget and request additional allocations from MCSG
• Receives FlexiFund of $100 each semester
• Ability to request travel funds
• Ability to request to fundraise
• Ability to request storage space

Check out the Student Org Funding and Finance Page for more information.

Macalester College guarantees the freedom to organize and join organizations. 

• The Macalester College Student Government officially charters student organizations on behalf of the College, making criteria for the granting of charters consistent with the general policies of the College. 
• Although organizations may set restrictive membership criteria (e.g. tryouts/auditions), these should have a basis in the functioning of the organization and should not be discriminatory, as specified in the College’s non-discrimination policy. 
• Membership in Student Organizations may not be restrictive or discriminatory. In no aspect of its programs shall there be any difference in the treatment of persons based on race, creed, color, national origin, disability, age, gender, any consideration of sexual orientation, or associational preference or any other classification which would deprive the person of consideration as an individual. Equal opportunity and access to membership, programming, facilities, and benefits shall be open to all persons. 
• No organization shall be required to submit a membership list to the College. 

1. Organizations are audited once every three years during the spring semester as informed by the SOC chair. 
2. The auditing/check-in process will include the following information: 
   1. A list of current leadership 
   2. Inventory of capital purchases
   3. Recent and upcoming events and activities 
   4. Leadership and transition processes
   5. Updated charter that matches the current mission and activities of the organization
   6. Additional information based on expectations laid out during the Student Organization Leader Orientation (SOLO), held annually each fall semester
3. Student Organizations will be audited based on the following criteria: 
   1. Impact on Macalester college community
   2. Past performance
   3. Leadership
   4. Budget consistency 
4. If a Student Organization refuses to complete an audit, the organization will have its budgeting privileges suspended until it has successfully completed the audit process. If it fails to complete the audit after losing privileges, the org will be removed from student organization publications and will be considered inactive. 
5. The SOC may audit organizations at any time.
   1. To conduct an audit, the SOC must fulfill two stipulations. First, a majority vote of the SOC must be achieved. Second, the SOC must ensure the organization under consideration for an audit meets one (or more) of the following criteria:
      1. The organization experienced, or is experiencing, either intra-organization or inter-organizational conflict that inhibits the proper functioning of a/an organization(s).
         • In regards to individuals (intra-organization conflict), conflict is defined as: when a member, or members, of the organization experienced, or are experiencing, harassment, bullying, or are otherwise made to feel uncomfortable.
         • In regards to multiple organizations (inter-organization conflict), conflict is defined as either: (1) when the organization or its members, through actions conducted in relation to their organization, fulfill the definition of intra-organization conflict supplied above, or (2) the organization or its members, through actions conducted in relation to their organization, infringe on another organization’s ability to fulfill its purpose.
      2. The organization misuses space, capital, or their funding.
      3. In conducting the audit, the SOC must notify the organization to be audited of their need to appear before a member of the SOC within fourteen (14) days.

There a variety of  benefits to being an MCSG chartered student organizations in both administrative requirements and privileges granted.

Student orgs have access to the following privileges:

• Can reserve spaces on campus
• Access to dedicated macalester.edu email account
• Can hold events/programs for members of the group and general campus community
• Can request participation in the fall Involvement Fair and Spring Org Fair
• Can publicize events through college publications and materials
• Can budget and request additional allocations from MCSG
• Receives FlexiFund of $100 each semester
• Ability to request travel funds
• Ability to request to fundraise
• Ability to request storage space

The Student Organizations Committee (SOC) of MCSG guides students through the process of creating a new student organization or interest group. Questions about the registration process can be directed to the SOC Chair at [email protected]